Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1887-12-16
LAND YACHTING.
SAILING on rHE SANDS OF rnE
LA>CAsHtI,E COAST
Singular Gran That Glide Along
the smooth sands at tho Uatc
or Twcoty Miles an lIoar
odd sailing.


The sport o. Yachting 10 the ordinary
sense of the teiia. SAYS London paper,
dates back "a tho commencement o, the
fifteenth century. and the force Of the
Wind has been utilized for assisting the
Propulsion cf carriages in Eastern coun
tries from time immcmoiial but the use
Of swift sailing vehicles, capable Of being
manuuvcrcd like ships Mt sea. and de-
voted entirely 10 pleasure purposes. il
quite modern departure Southport Is
the locality par cscsiieace for sand yacht
ing, the great stretches OF ii,m, smooth
sand along this part Of the Lancashire
coast atfording ample 'sca" -oom for tho
evolntious OF thee singular and rome.
what ghostly looking crafts.
The sand yacht II simple in construc-
ton, consisting essentially of long, mar.
row body with scats along the sides for
passengers. mounted ON four wooden
wheels. The back wheels OF sand
yacht serve acily the same purpose as
the ruddcr of a boat. The wheels are
strongly built, with wide trcads to pre-.
vent their sinking in the sand when pass
ing over soft PAGES, and are covered
with splash boards in the usual manner.
The yachts are OF different sizes. some
being able TO accommodate abput twenty
people, though they ruoly carry asmany.
Tho smaller craft are catter rugged, with
large mainsail and ibsail stretched from
the point OF u bowsprit some six feet
long, projecting from the front axle.
he larger yachts have two masts, car
rying mainsail, forcsal and jib. The
sails, rigging aud running gear atc almost
identical with those common on boats
and small yachts, the spread of canvas
being about the same as on racing boats
OF equal length. Local fishermen form
the crew, the cutters being manned by
two aud tho schooners by throp men.
When sand yacht is ready fcra cruise,
with all sail set aud her complement Of
passengers aboard. the stccrSman takes
his place at the holm, while his mate
gives the craft start by placing his back
70 the front axle aud pressing against the
sand with hi feet. When lac fees TINT
she Is fnirly under weigh lac climbs MIN
bly, on board and seats himself or stands
near the mast, his duty being TO attend
10 the jib sheet and keep sharp lookout
ahead, while the hclsman directs the
coussc and looks after the main sheet.
IL there is a good breeze the yacht soon
acquires considerable velocity. which Il
liable, however, TO continual variation,
according TO the force OF The wind and
the slate Of the SIND At one time. with
fresh breeze and fun, smooth bottom,
she may be gliding along ut perhaps the
rate oi twenty miles an hour. Directly
aftcrward a lnll in the wind and soft or
rough sand may reduce the speed 10 seven
or eight miles. cgaffling the maximum
speeds attained, the fishermen tell some
pretty still yarns
We have heard hnndfod miles an
hour spokeno Of quite seriously; but there
docs not seem TO be any good reason for
believing that under the most favorable
circumstances velocity Of thirty five or
forty miles an hour ~ ever exceeded.
Even this is an enormous speed, aud il il
plain Chat vehicles moving at anything
approaching such rate must be handled
IN u very careful manner TO avoid acct
dents.
The sand yachts are able 10 proceed
against the wind by Hacking" or max
ing a zigag course. With stiG breeze
they sail very close 10 the wind, and have
great advantage over their sisters Of the
sea Ia not making any ''lecway.n The
operations Of putting about must DO
done quickly. or there will bc a chance
OF missing stays aud, as n matter Of
fact, the change from one tack 10 the
other is effected 20 smoothly that tho
unwary passenger is apt 90 fad himself
let sitting IN the sand as the yacht sails
gracefully away on her new course.
Now aud than patch Of sand, deep
furrowod by tho reccding tide, may be
crossed. when The motion becomes dis
az eenbly rough But, on the whole,
the .svemonf is smooth and pleasant:
and, without doubt, sand yachting pro
vidcs a beautiful and Interesting means
OF seaside recreation.